TY - JOUR

T1 - Lipid MALDI Imaging of Prenatal Human Archival Brain Tissue with Prolonged Fixation Period

AU - Ткаченко, Любовь Александровна

AU - Зыкин, Павел Александрович

AU - Самарина, Анна Сергеевна

PY - 2025/8/1

Y1 - 2025/8/1

N2 - Objective: Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI-IMS) was employed to investigate lipid composition and spatial distribution in the human fetal temporal lobe during prenatal development (21 gestational weeks, GW). Method: An optimized protocol was established for archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue. Results: Comparative analysis of matrices revealed that 1,5-diaminonaphthalene (DAN) enabled detection of significantly more lipid species than 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB). Tandem mass spectrometry facilitated in situ lipid identification directly on tissue sections. Differential lipid detection was observed between ionization modes: in positive mode mostly phosphatidylcholines (PCs) were detected whereas in negative mode phosphatidylinositols (PIs) and phosphatidic acids (PAs) detection was strongly enchanced. Conclusions: Spatially resolved analysis uncovered heterogeneous lipid distribution across developing cortical structures at GW 21: ventricular/subventricular zones, cortical plate and basal nuclei – PC (total fatty acid carbon:double bond count is 30 : 0), PC (34 : 1), PC (36 : 7), PC (38 : 8), PA (16 : 0/18 : 1), intermediate zone and subplate – PC (32 : 0), PC (34 : 2), PC (36 : 4). This study establishes the possibility of MALDI-IMS of archival human fetal brain after prolonged fixation.

AB - Objective: Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI-IMS) was employed to investigate lipid composition and spatial distribution in the human fetal temporal lobe during prenatal development (21 gestational weeks, GW). Method: An optimized protocol was established for archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue. Results: Comparative analysis of matrices revealed that 1,5-diaminonaphthalene (DAN) enabled detection of significantly more lipid species than 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB). Tandem mass spectrometry facilitated in situ lipid identification directly on tissue sections. Differential lipid detection was observed between ionization modes: in positive mode mostly phosphatidylcholines (PCs) were detected whereas in negative mode phosphatidylinositols (PIs) and phosphatidic acids (PAs) detection was strongly enchanced. Conclusions: Spatially resolved analysis uncovered heterogeneous lipid distribution across developing cortical structures at GW 21: ventricular/subventricular zones, cortical plate and basal nuclei – PC (total fatty acid carbon:double bond count is 30 : 0), PC (34 : 1), PC (36 : 7), PC (38 : 8), PA (16 : 0/18 : 1), intermediate zone and subplate – PC (32 : 0), PC (34 : 2), PC (36 : 4). This study establishes the possibility of MALDI-IMS of archival human fetal brain after prolonged fixation.

KW - MALDI IMS

KW - prenatal development

KW - human

KW - neocortex

KW - lipids

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/9642c8bf-85c7-3c9a-8e06-a050a69f8fe5/

U2 - 10.1134/s1990519x25600218

DO - 10.1134/s1990519x25600218

M3 - Article

VL - 19

SP - S192-S197

JO - Cell and Tissue Biology

JF - Cell and Tissue Biology

SN - 1990-519X

IS - Suppl 1

ER -